Internal Security – Chinmaya IAS Academy – Current Affairshttps://currentaffairs.chinmayaias.com
Chinmaya IAS Academy - Current Affairs
Mon, 04 Nov 2019 12:57:09 +0000 en-US
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1 Naga groups pushing for separate flag: Deputy CMhttps://currentaffairs.chinmayaias.com/naga-groups-pushing-for-separate-flag-deputy-cm/
https://currentaffairs.chinmayaias.com/naga-groups-pushing-for-separate-flag-deputy-cm/#respondSun, 03 Nov 2019 10:49:39 +0000https://currentaffairs.chinmayaias.com/?p=15552Nagaland Deputy Chief Minister Y. Patton has said that the signing of the Naga peace accord will take a few more days and that the Naga groups, including the NSCN(IM), will keep negotiating for a separate constitution and flag. Mr. Patton, who also holds the Home portfolio, said Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio and he were …

]]>Nagaland Deputy Chief Minister Y. Patton has said that the signing of the Naga peace accord will take a few more days and that the Naga groups, including the NSCN(IM), will keep negotiating for a separate constitution and flag. Mr. Patton, who also holds the Home portfolio, said Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio and he were seeking an appointment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah to get clarity on their future role. “The signing of the final Naga agreement will not take much time as major groups are on board. We want to know what will be the role of the present government after the accord is sealed. This is the issue we want to discuss with the Prime Minister and the Home Minister,” Mr. Patton, who reached Delhi on Friday, told The Hindu . Mr. Rio is also in Delhi. ‘More talks required’ Mr. Patton said they would have to speak to the neighbouring States of Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh amid the possible creation of autonomous councils in Naga-populated areas.

]]>https://currentaffairs.chinmayaias.com/naga-groups-pushing-for-separate-flag-deputy-cm/feed/0LGs take charge in J&K, Ladakhhttps://currentaffairs.chinmayaias.com/lgs-take-charge-in-jk-ladakh/
https://currentaffairs.chinmayaias.com/lgs-take-charge-in-jk-ladakh/#respondFri, 01 Nov 2019 05:15:16 +0000https://currentaffairs.chinmayaias.com/?p=15466Jammu & Kashmir became the first State of the Indian Union to be reduced to a Union Territory (UT), with former IAS officer Girish Murmu being sworn in as its first Lieutenant Governor (LG) on Thursday. Bifurcated from the former State, Ladakh also became a UT, with former civil servant R.K. Mathur taking over as …

]]>Jammu & Kashmir became the first State of the Indian Union to be reduced to a Union Territory (UT), with former IAS officer Girish Murmu being sworn in as its first Lieutenant Governor (LG) on Thursday. Bifurcated from the former State, Ladakh also became a UT, with former civil servant R.K. Mathur taking over as its LG in Leh. The Kashmir Valley saw a complete shutdown as Mr. Murmu, a Gujarat cadre IAS officer handpicked by the Centre, became the executive authority of the UT, which will now be directly administered by the Union Home Ministry. The Indian Union now has 28 States and nine UTs. Former Chief Ministers Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti continue to be under detention from August 4, a day before the Rajya Sabha voted to end special status to J&K. Hours before the swearing-in ceremony at the Raj Bhavan on the outskirts of Srinagar, this correspondent saw all roads leading to it being sealed off by security forces. There was heavy security in the area. All shops and business establishments downed their shutters. In earlier weeks, shops were open in the morning and downed shutters by 10 a.m. But on Thursday, all of them were closed. (With inputs from Peerzada Ashiq) Former Chief Ministers Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti continue to be under detention from August 4, a day before the Rajya Sabha voted to end special status to J&K. Hours before the swearing-in ceremony at the Raj Bhavan on the outskirts of Srinagar, this correspondent saw all roads leading to it being sealed off by security forces. There was heavy security in the area. All shops and business establishments downed their shutters. In earlier weeks, shops were open in the morning and downed shutters by 10 a.m. But on Thursday, all of them were closed. Residents of the Valley continue to have no access to both fixed-line and mobile Internet services, which were snapped on the midnight of August 4. Anger on the streets There was palpable anger on the streets. A bunch of people told this correspondent on Residency Road that ending the special status was an “act of betrayal” by the BJP government. “No bandh call has been given by separatists or militants, but people have spontaneously downed shutters in protest against the ending of our special status. It is the people who have taken over as leaders of this movement,” one shopkeeper said. “How can we believe full statehood will be restored when so many promises made on autonomy have not been honoured,” asked another. While the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir will have a 114-member elected Assembly, up from 107 earlier, and a Chief Minister, the Union Territory of Ladakh will be controlled directly by the Lieutenant Governor.

]]>https://currentaffairs.chinmayaias.com/lgs-take-charge-in-jk-ladakh/feed/0NSCN-IM taking part in peace talks: Ravihttps://currentaffairs.chinmayaias.com/nscn-im-taking-part-in-peace-talks-ravi/
https://currentaffairs.chinmayaias.com/nscn-im-taking-part-in-peace-talks-ravi/#respondFri, 01 Nov 2019 05:03:21 +0000https://currentaffairs.chinmayaias.com/?p=15457Naga interlocutor R.N. Ravi said on Thursday that discussions to finalise the Naga accord were continuing and the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Isak-Muivah) [NSCN-IM] had come on board. Mr. Ravi, who is also the Nagaland Governor, told The Hindu , “The accord has not been finalised yet. Matters are under discussion. NSCN-IM has come …

]]>Naga interlocutor R.N. Ravi said on Thursday that discussions to finalise the Naga accord were continuing and the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Isak-Muivah) [NSCN-IM] had come on board. Mr. Ravi, who is also the Nagaland Governor, told The Hindu , “The accord has not been finalised yet. Matters are under discussion. NSCN-IM has come on board.” Prime Minister Narendra Modi had been apprised of the latest developments and some kind of agreement with all groups, including the NSCN-IM, would be signed soon, a senior government official said. It is not clear if the accord would be signed before November 2 when Mr. Modi leaves for Thailand or upon his return. On October 18, Mr. Ravi had said that the Naga peace process would conclude by October 31, adding that there would be no separate flag or constitution for the Nagas as being demanded by the NSCN-IM. He had also accused the NSCN-IM — with which the Centre had signed a framework agreement on August 3, 2015 — of delaying the talks to find a solution to the decades-old Naga issue. Mr. Ravi had been meeting leaders of other delegations, including the six Naga National Political Groups (NNPG), in the last leg of meetings in Delhi. Use of flag The NNPG in a statement claimed the Centre has “endorsed the usage of Naga emblem/flag specifically for cultural identity within the Naga homeland.” “The Naga flag is a political symbol and cannot be confined to socio-cultural activities. therefore, together in one voice, Nagas would pursue it politically and democratically,” NNPG said. The NSCN-IM has been fighting for ‘Greater Nagaland’ or Nagalim — it wants to extend Nagaland’s borders by including Naga-dominated areas in neighbouring Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh — to unite 1.2 million Nagas. The Centre has however, ruled out any disintegration of the States of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur in order to merge the Naga-inhabited areas with the existing State of Nagaland. MHA said in a statement that rumours were being spread on social media that final Naga settlement has been arrived at and it was creating anxiety and concern in some parts of the country. “It is clarified that before any settlement is arrived at with Naga groups, all stakeholders including States of Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh will be duly consulted,” MHA said.

]]>https://currentaffairs.chinmayaias.com/nscn-im-taking-part-in-peace-talks-ravi/feed/0Govt. questions WhatsApp after spyware is used for snoopinghttps://currentaffairs.chinmayaias.com/govt-questions-whatsapp-after-spyware-is-used-for-snooping/
https://currentaffairs.chinmayaias.com/govt-questions-whatsapp-after-spyware-is-used-for-snooping/#respondFri, 01 Nov 2019 04:41:57 +0000https://currentaffairs.chinmayaias.com/?p=15451Those targeted include journalists, lawyers & Dalit and human rights activists The Centre has sought an explanation from messaging platform WhatsApp after the Facebook-owned company confirmed that some Indian users of its app came under surveillance using an Israeli spyware. Most of those targeted in India were journalists, Dalit and human rights activists and lawyers. …

]]>Those targeted include journalists, lawyers & Dalit and human rights activists The Centre has sought an explanation from messaging platform WhatsApp after the Facebook-owned company confirmed that some Indian users of its app came under surveillance using an Israeli spyware. Most of those targeted in India were journalists, Dalit and human rights activists and lawyers. WhatsApp filed a complaint in a U.S. court earlier this week attributing the intrusion to NSO Group, an Israeli technology firm, which claims on its website that its products are used “exclusively” by government intelligence and law enforcement agencies “to fight crime and terror”. A WhatsApp spokesperson confirmed to The Hindu that Indian users were among those impacted by the spyware and contacted by the company this week to assist them.

]]>https://currentaffairs.chinmayaias.com/govt-questions-whatsapp-after-spyware-is-used-for-snooping/feed/0Terror in Kashmir a big problem: MEPshttps://currentaffairs.chinmayaias.com/terror-in-kashmir-a-big-problem-meps/
https://currentaffairs.chinmayaias.com/terror-in-kashmir-a-big-problem-meps/#respondThu, 31 Oct 2019 04:54:49 +0000https://currentaffairs.chinmayaias.com/?p=15222The delegation of Members of European Parliament (MEPs), on a visit to Srinagar on Wednesday, said “terrorism is a severe problem in Kashmir” and named Pakistan as its source. They felt India’s decision to revoke provisions of Article 370 that gave special status to Jammu & Kashmir was an internal issue. “It should not be …

]]>The delegation of Members of European Parliament (MEPs), on a visit to Srinagar on Wednesday, said “terrorism is a severe problem in Kashmir” and named Pakistan as its source. They felt India’s decision to revoke provisions of Article 370 that gave special status to Jammu & Kashmir was an internal issue. “It should not be used [against India],” they said. The MEPs described the killing of six non-locals by suspected militants in Kulgam, south Kashmir, as “inhuman”. “Terrorism is not finished yet in Kashmir. Terrorism in Kashmir is not only the problem of India. I think it’s our problem, as well as of the international community. We support India in fighting for a solution to the problem,” three of the delegation told a select group of journalists in Srinagar’s Old Airfield. ‘Allow Indian MPs too’ Another MEP, Nicolaus Fest, however, said the Indian Opposition parties should also be allowed to visit the Kashmir Valley. “I think if you let in European Union parliamentarians, you should also let in Opposition politicians from India. So there is some kind of imbalance. The government should somehow address it.” The MEPs, who addressed the press, were Bill Newton from the United Kingdom, Ryszard Czarnecki from Poland and Mariana Thierry from France. Henri Malosse from France, a businessman and a former president of the European Economic and Social Committee, also spoke. They claimed that they interacted with youth, politicians, women and traders during their two-day stay in Kashmir and termed it a “beginning of their engagement” with the civil society there. “We are here to get information. We are well equipped now and can go back and share this with our colleagues and respective countries. The situation is not as bad as we thought. People here want peace, better life and better vocations, and want jobs. Terrorism has destroyed such dreams,” they said. Mr. Newton said the United Kingdom also faced the problem of Northern Ireland, where Christians fought Christians. “Fighting is not a solution. India has a long procedure of talks, agreeing to talk and listening to each other. It is because of talks that Northern Ireland is a peaceful place now. My advice is talk and don’t fight,” he said. Referring to the presentations of the Army and the police, the MEPs said, “Most terrorists killed in J&K have come from abroad, in fact they came from Pakistan. It is an international problem. All protests should be directed against terrorism.” The MEPs described J&K as a dynamic place for building tourism infrastructure, development projects and educational institutes.

]]>https://currentaffairs.chinmayaias.com/terror-in-kashmir-a-big-problem-meps/feed/0‘Kudankulam nuclear plant didn’t come under cyberattack’https://currentaffairs.chinmayaias.com/kudankulam-nuclear-plant-didnt-come-under-cyberattack/
https://currentaffairs.chinmayaias.com/kudankulam-nuclear-plant-didnt-come-under-cyberattack/#respondWed, 30 Oct 2019 08:05:27 +0000https://currentaffairs.chinmayaias.com/?p=15306Officials deny that the power unit site was hacked Hours after a cybersecurity expert claimed on Twitter that the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant’s (KKNPP) domain controller-level access could have been compromised, officials categorically denied it on Tuesday. KKNPP Site Director Sanjay Kumar said the totally isolated network of KKNPP could not be accessed by any …

]]>Officials deny that the power unit site was hacked Hours after a cybersecurity expert claimed on Twitter that the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant’s (KKNPP) domain controller-level access could have been compromised, officials categorically denied it on Tuesday. KKNPP Site Director Sanjay Kumar said the totally isolated network of KKNPP could not be accessed by any outside network from any part of the globe. Hence, there was no question of it being hacked. Asked if power generation was stopped last week in the second reactor due to a possible compromise, Mr. Kumar said it was purely due to the malfunctioning of a mechanical device in the turbine section, and not due to any electronic complication. “While the first reactor of KKNPP is generating 1,000 Mwe power, the capacity of the Russian supplied VVER reactor, the second unit is producing 670 Mwe electricity [as on Tuesday morning],” Mr. Kumar said. A press release from the plant information officer also said a cyberattack was not possible as the control systems are not linked to outside network on Internet. On Monday night, Pukhraj Singh, an independent expert on cyber security, tweeted that domain controller-level access at the plant had been breached. “Extremely mission-critical targets were hit,” he said. However, a senior-most official of KKNPP told The Hindu that at the isolated networking system of the KKNPP Universal Serial Buses (USB), compact discs, etc., could not be used as these ports had been deactivated in all the systems on the KKNPP premises. It could not be accessed by any of the networks from any part of the world. Moreover, all the systems had been loaded with home-grown firewalls to check the hackers’ attempts, if any. The official revealed that a cyber security audit was conducted recently after a futile attempt to hack the NPCIL’s isolated network was made.

]]>https://currentaffairs.chinmayaias.com/kudankulam-nuclear-plant-didnt-come-under-cyberattack/feed/0European lawmakers begin J&K visithttps://currentaffairs.chinmayaias.com/european-lawmakers-begin-jk-visit/
https://currentaffairs.chinmayaias.com/european-lawmakers-begin-jk-visit/#respondWed, 30 Oct 2019 07:50:28 +0000https://currentaffairs.chinmayaias.com/?p=15299As many as 23 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) arrived in Kashmir on a two-day visit on Tuesday to assess the ground situation after scrapping of J&K’s special status and recorded the feedback from the Army, local officials and 15 delegations, as the Valley observed a complete shutdown and saw a spurt in street …

]]>As many as 23 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) arrived in Kashmir on a two-day visit on Tuesday to assess the ground situation after scrapping of J&K’s special status and recorded the feedback from the Army, local officials and 15 delegations, as the Valley observed a complete shutdown and saw a spurt in street protests. “We are looking for the facts. It is a good occasion to get some views. I do not have enough facts to reach a conclusion. We are conscious of the context. We are also conscious that we were being kept away from some people,” Spanish MEP Herman Tertsch said. Earlier in the day, United Kingdom MEP Chris Davies, whose invite was rescinded after he made a request to meet people without any escort, said, “I am not prepared to be part of a PR stunt for the Modi government and pretend that all is well. It’s very clear democratic principles are being subverted in Kashmir and the world needs to start taking notice.” Around four MEPs have reportedly backed out from travelling to Kashmir. On arrival, the European Union (EU) delegates drove through Srinagar city from the airport to their hotel located near the Dal lake, under a heavy security blanket. The cavalcade also drove past four detention centres, where three former Chief Ministers and several mainstream politicians were being held since August 5. The EU delegates held across-the-table interactions with 15 delegations, including of traders, grassroots leaders, students, a three-member women’s group and civil society members, at the Lalit Grand Palace hotel, just next to Hari Niwas where National Conference vice-president Omar Abdullah is being detained. The members also took boat rides on the Dal lake in the evening. Global Youth Foundation head Touseef Raina, who met the MEPs, said he highlighted that youth of J&K witnessed “enough bloodshed and wanted an end to it.” “We told the MEPs that youth draw inspiration from the EU-like system. We underlined there was no leadership in J&K. The unfortunate decision to bifurcate J&K is a collective failure of the regional mainstream parties and separatists. If they had worked in a selfless manner, Kashmir would have been a peaceful place,” said Mr. Raina. BJP spokesman Altaf Thakur, who led a delegation of panchs and sarpanchs, said, “Kashmir is normal. There are some forces that want to disturb peace here. Otherwise, people want to open shops and students want to go to educational institutes. Article 370 was like a wall, stopping the State’s development.” A women’s delegation highlighted the issue of unemployment. Earlier, General Officer Commanding, 15 Corps, Lt. Gen. K.J.S. Dhillon hosted a lunch to the visiting delegates at the Badamibagh Cantonment. Sources said the Army apprised the team of the situation on the Line of Control (LoC), infiltration bids from across the border and the internal situation. In the evening, the EU team also met senior officials of the J&K government for their feedback on the situation. Meanwhile, no prominent traders’ body, civil society group or regional political parties interacted with the EU delegation. President of the Valley’s apex traders body, Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industries (KCCI), Sheikh Ashiq said his association was not invited.

]]>https://currentaffairs.chinmayaias.com/european-lawmakers-begin-jk-visit/feed/0Rajnath meets Service chiefs, discusses Kashmirhttps://currentaffairs.chinmayaias.com/rajnath-meets-service-chiefs-discusses-kashmir/
https://currentaffairs.chinmayaias.com/rajnath-meets-service-chiefs-discusses-kashmir/#respondTue, 29 Oct 2019 11:12:21 +0000https://currentaffairs.chinmayaias.com/?p=15408Defence Minister Rajnath Singh met the three Service chiefs on Monday and reviewed the situation in Kashmir and the operational preparedness along the Line of Control (LoC) in the backdrop of recent escalation in Cease Fire Violations (CFV), defence sources said. “The Minister reviewed the situation along the LoC. The ramifications of Article 370 revocation …

]]>Defence Minister Rajnath Singh met the three Service chiefs on Monday and reviewed the situation in Kashmir and the operational preparedness along the Line of Control (LoC) in the backdrop of recent escalation in Cease Fire Violations (CFV), defence sources said. “The Minister reviewed the situation along the LoC. The ramifications of Article 370 revocation are still there. Last week, there were CFVs by Pakistan. These were discussed,” a source said. Over the last two weeks, there was a major flare-up in ceasefire violations along the Tangdhar sector and on the night of October 19, the Army said they hit four terror launch pads inside Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) with 155mm heavy artillery fire.

]]>https://currentaffairs.chinmayaias.com/rajnath-meets-service-chiefs-discusses-kashmir/feed/0Countdown begins for J&K’s transitionhttps://currentaffairs.chinmayaias.com/countdown-begins-for-jks-transition/
https://currentaffairs.chinmayaias.com/countdown-begins-for-jks-transition/#respondTue, 29 Oct 2019 11:02:50 +0000https://currentaffairs.chinmayaias.com/?p=15399Process of formation of two Union Territories will begin with the swearing-in of Lieutenant-Governors The State of Jammu and Kashmir will transition into two Union Territories of J&K and Ladakh on October 31, and the process will begin with the swearing-in of the two newly appointed Lieutenant-Governors in Srinagar and Leh, respectively. The bifurcation and …

]]>Process of formation of two Union Territories will begin with the swearing-in of Lieutenant-Governors The State of Jammu and Kashmir will transition into two Union Territories of J&K and Ladakh on October 31, and the process will begin with the swearing-in of the two newly appointed Lieutenant-Governors in Srinagar and Leh, respectively. The bifurcation and downgrade of the State into Union Territories will be a “low-key” affair, a senior official said. Gita Mittal, Chief Justice of the J&K High Court, will first administer the oath to G.C. Murmu in Srinagar and then fly to Leh for the swearing-in of Radha Krishna Mahur. Under the J&K Reorganisation Act, 2019 passed by Parliament on August 6, the number of seats in the Legislative Assembly of the Union Territory of of J&K has been increased from 107 to 114. Rules not notified Ladakh will not have an Assembly and will be directly governed by the Union Home Ministry through the Lieutenant-Governor. The rules to govern under the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019 are yet to be notified though. After October 31, 106 Central laws will be applicable to J&K, along with 166 State Acts, including the Governor’s Act. The reorganisation Act says 153 State laws will be repealed. October 31 coincides with the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. An official said Prime Minister Narendra Modi would visit the Statue of Unity at Kevadia in Gujarat to mark the occasion and Home Minister Amit Shah would flag off a “Run for Unity” in Delhi the same day. The official said the two events were not linked to the reorganisation of J&K. “The UTs of J&K and Ladakh will come into existence as other newly carved out States have come up in the past. The most recent example is Telangana, the Act was passed in March 2014 and the appointed day was June 2, 2014. It will not be a grandiose affair but a smooth transition,” said the official. Venue is Srinagar Notwithstanding the annual Darbar Move of the State capital of J&K to Jammu once in every six months, the swearing-in will take place in Srinagar. Administrative officials have been asked to stay there for a smooth transition. The Kashmir Valley and parts of Jammu were placed under severe restrictions, including communication blockade since the early hours on August 5 — the day Home Minister Amit Shah moved two Bills in the Rajya Sabha to read down Article 370 that had granted special status to J&K and to downgrade and bifurcate the State. The restrictions were eased in the past one month. Earlier, the Home Ministry appointed a three-member committee to apportion the assets and liabilities of the State of J&K between the two UTs. The committee is yet to submit its report.

]]>https://currentaffairs.chinmayaias.com/countdown-begins-for-jks-transition/feed/0Amid outrage, senior political leaders set free in Jammuhttps://currentaffairs.chinmayaias.com/amid-outrage-senior-political-leaders-set-free-in-jammu/
https://currentaffairs.chinmayaias.com/amid-outrage-senior-political-leaders-set-free-in-jammu/#respondThu, 03 Oct 2019 11:00:34 +0000https://currentaffairs.chinmayaias.com/?p=14981NC, Congress and J&KPP members in the region let off with strictures on public statements regarding Article 370; no relief for Valley detainees With the announcement of the Block Development Council (BDC) polls amid growing outrage over continued political detentions, the J&K government on Tuesday released seven senior leaders of the National Conference (NC), Congress …

]]>NC, Congress and J&KPP members in the region let off with strictures on public statements regarding Article 370; no relief for Valley detainees
With the announcement of the Block Development Council (BDC) polls amid growing outrage over continued political detentions, the J&K government on Tuesday released seven senior leaders of the National Conference (NC), Congress and J&K Panthers Party (J&KPP) from the Jammu region Officials said the NC’s Davinder Singh Rana, Surjit Singh Salathia, Javed Rana and Sajjad Ahmed Kitcloo, Congress’ Raman Bhalla and Waqar Rasool and Harsh Dev Singh of the J&KPP had been released. All these leaders had been placed under house arrest under Section 107 of the CrPC since August 5 — when the State’s special status under Article 370 was revoked by the Centre. An NC leader, requesting anonymity, confirmed that the party leaders were told on Tuesday night that “they were free to go anywhere”. Sources, however, said the released leaders have been directed to “desist from issuing any public statements”. The authorities have specifically mentioned the issue of revocation of provisions of Article 370 to the released leaders “to keep away from”. However, there is no time frame for release of dozens of political prisoners, including NC president Dr. Farooq Abdullah and his son Omar Abdullah and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti, in the Kashmir Valley, where a spontaneous shutdown continue to mar the daily life. Around 179 mainstream leader remain detained in the Valley, according figures from top officials. Official sources said the release of the leaders is “to provide a level field to political parties” ahead of the BDC elections scheduled for October 24. Both the Congress and the NC have criticised the government move to hold these polls under current circumstances and in absence of means of communication.
The NC has termed the upcoming BDC polls as “biggest mockery of democracy”.
“Announcing BDC polls at a time when the entire leadership of the State is captive is no less than a farce. There were many areas where the locals had no idea about who was contesting from their areas. In other parts of the Valley, candidates were imported from Jammu region and supplanted on the people of Kashmir,” said the NC spokesman in a statement. “The present ruling dispensation is known for its inherent aversion for NC. Our party has traditionally been a thorn in the eyes of RSS-BJP,” he added. In a separate incident, Mohamad Shafi Saroori, brother of Congress leader and ex-minister G.M. Saroori, was arrested for sheltering militants in Jammu’s Kishtwar district.
Police sources Mr. Saroori and five others were involved in “providing logistic support to the Hizbul Mujahideen militants”, who were killed in the Batote encounter on Saturday. The family, however, denied the allegation. “The house which the Kishtwar police claimed was used by the militants was abandoned by the family way back. The house is presently occupied by the tenants, including non-Muslims and police personnel,” said the family in a statement. Mr. Saroori termed the move “as politically motivated to malign his and his family’s image”.